Arachis plant named ‘St. Augustine&#39;s White’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of the  Arachis glabrata  plant named ‘St. Augustine&#39;s White,’ characterized by distinct, white flowers.

Botanical designation: Arachis glabrata.

Varietal denomination: ‘St. Augustine's White’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Arachisplant botanically known as Arachis glabrata and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘St. Augustine's White.’ Arachis glabrata is alsocommonly known as Rhizoma peanut or creeping forage peanut and is a highquality forage legume native to Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. It hasalso been introduced to other countries, including the United States,and can be used as an ornamental or for soil conservation. The normalflower color of Arachis glabrata is creamy yellow to yellow-orange. Morespecifically, by reference to the Munsell Color Chart for Plant Tissues,1936 Edition, the normal flower color of Arachis glabrata ranges from 8YR-Y 8/12 to 7 Y 8/12. A small amount of white color at the top of thestandard, usually distributed in a spotted or blotchy pattern, is alsoobserved in Arachis glabrata.

‘St. Augustine's White’ was discovered in Gainesville, Fla. as anaturally occurring whole plant mutation in a bed of cultivated Arachisglabrata germplasm known as “Arblick” (USDA PI 262839 and not patented).

Asexual reproduction by rhizome divisions of the new cultivar ‘St.Augustine's White’ first occurred in a controlled environment in atleast 2002 in Gainesville, Fla. Since that time, under carefulobservation, the unique characteristic of the new cultivar has beenstable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY

The white flowers of the cultivar ‘St. Augustine's White’ have beenrepeatedly observed and represent the unique characteristic thatdistinguishes ‘St. Augustine's White’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofArachis glabrata. Other than the white flowers, the remainder of the‘St. Augustine's White’ plant, including the rhizomes, roots, stems, andleaves, is indistinguishable from the wild type Arachis glabrata.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the distinguishing traitof the new Arachis glabrata cultivar ‘St. Augustine's White.’ Allphotographs were taken using conventional photographic techniques andalthough colors in the photographs may appear different from actualcolors due to light reflectance, they are as accurate as possible byconventional photography.

FIG. 1 shows a close up view of the normal creamy yellow toyellow-orange flower of wild type Arachis glabrata.

FIG. 2 shows a close up view of the white flower of the new Arachisglabrata cultivar ‘St. Augustine's White.’

FIG. 3 shows a mid-range view of wild type Arachis glabrata grown in amid-size pot, including the flowers, stems, and leaves.

FIG. 4 shows a mid-range view of the new Arachis glabrata cultivar ‘St.Augustine's White,’ showing the stems, as well as the leaves andpetioles.

FIG. 5 shows a close up view of the new Arachis glabrata cultivar ‘St.Augustine's White,’ showing the leaves and petioles.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of the new Arachis glabratacultivar named ‘St. Augustine's White.’ Data are representative ofplants grown in a controlled environment in Gainesville, Fla., sinceabout 2002 with low to medium fertility. The plants were grown outdoorsin one gallon containers. Color references are made to the Munsell ColorChart for Plant Tissues, 1936 Edition, except where general color termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used. The photograph of ‘St.Augustine's White’ (FIG. 2) was taken of a plant grown indoors in acontrolled environment with very high fertility, including foliarapplication of nutrients.

-   Botanical classification: Arachis glabrata cultivar ‘St. Augustine's    White.’-   Parentage: ‘St. Augustine's White’ was discovered as a naturally    occurring whole plant mutation in a bed of cultivated Arachis    glabrata germplasm known as “Arblick” (not patented).-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By rhizome divisions.        -   Crop time.—Approximately 14 to 16 weeks to produce a            finished plant in a one gallon container from a rhizome            division (approximately 8-10 weeks in 4 inch container).        -   Root description.—Strongly lignified roots; close to light            to dark brown in color (y/YR 6/8).        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense with            strong tap roots.        -   Rhizomes.—Appearance: Only subterranean forming 1-3 inch            thick, twisted mat. Shape: Elongate; rounded. Length: About            10 cm to 30 cm with stem nodes at 7 to 10 inch intervals.            Diameter: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Texture: Smooth. Color: light            to dark brown (y/YR 6/8).-   Plant description:    -   -   Type.—Perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Low, spreading habit, from a central branching            stem, forming single trifoliate shoots then stools 15-30 cm.            (6-12 inches) in diameter in first year's growth.        -   Plant height.—Approximately 10-16 cm (4-6 inches)            unsupported.        -   Plant diameter.—To 25-40 cm (10-15 inches) from a single            nodal stem above ground.        -   Growth rate.—Slow but vigorous rhizomatous growth in            well-drained sandy soils. Rhizome planting requires 3 years            for complete coverage without irrigation.-   Stem:    -   -   Stem color.—Greenish yellow (gY 7/10).        -   Stem shape.—Cylindrical except flat at apical leaf node.        -   Internode length.—2.5 to 4 cm. (1-1.6 inches).        -   Stem width.—1 to 2 mm. (0.4-0.8 inches).        -   Stem length.—5-38 cm (2 inch to 15 inches) unless climbing            then to 50 cm (20 inches).        -   Stem surface.—Smooth.        -   Stipules.—Stipules small, relatively inconspicuous,            linear-lanceolate or lanceolateacuminate, falcate, glabrous            or sparsely pubescent when young forming a tube that covers            one to two internodes.        -   Branching habit.—Primary branches are prostrate and            creeping. Short, sub-erect, flower-bearing stems arise only            from the nodes of the rhizome and typically extend above the            leafy foliage.-   Foliage:    -   -   Appearance.—The leaves contain 4-foliolate leaflets. Plants            have 4 obtuse or retuse to acute leaflets per leaf on            petioles. Leaflets are at most four times as long as wide,            finely nerved usually becoming strongly reticulate beneath,            the marginal nerve evident but not conspicuous, sometimes            more or less pilose beneath and ciliate on the margins when            young but usually becoming glabrous or nearly so at            maturity. Petioles are greenish-yellow (g/Y 7/10).        -   Length.—Leaflet: About 6-35 mm (0.2-1.3 inches); Leaf: About            40-80 mm (1.6-3.3 inches).        -   Width.—Leaflet: About 5-14 mm (0.2-0.6 inches); Leaf: About            35-70 mm (1.4-2.8 inches).        -   Shape.—Obovate or oval to elliptical-lanceolate.        -   Margins.—Entire; thickened but not lignified.        -   Texture.—The blades are papyraceous or subcoriaceous, the            lower surfaces and margins are glabrous or glabrata.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel with central midrib.        -   Color (upper and lower surface of leaflets).—Yellowish-green            (yG 5/6).-   Flower:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single orbicular-shaped, sessile with            no pedicel; flowers held upright and above foliage. Flowers            axillary, arising up to a point above the middle of the            stem.        -   Natural flowering season.—Flowers continuously from about            April to November in Florida.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Flower longevity on plant.—One week unless fertilized.            Fertilized flowers wilt 5-6 hours after expansion.        -   Flower diameter.—About 10-12 mm (0.4-0.5 inches).        -   Flower length (height).—About 7-10 cm (3-6 inches) from base            of hypanthium to tip of standard.        -   Flower depth.—6.6 mm (0.25 inches).        -   Corolla shape.—Orbicular, emarginate at the apex and            short-unguiculate at the base; wings oblong, obtuse; keel            rostrate, curved upward.        -   Number of petals.—Single, notched, orbicular standard; two            wing petals and a single keel that consists of two petals            fused along their dorsal edges but are open ventrally at the            base.        -   Petal color.—Standard and wings: 10 W 9.8/1. When grown in a            controlled environment under conditions of very high            fertility, it has been observed that a small, central            portion of each wing petal and the top-most portion of the            keel petals can have a weak yellow to orange tint (7 Y            6.5/3.5 to 7 Y 5.5/4.5).        -   Receptacular (hypanthium) tube.—Filiform, about 7-10 cm (3-4            inches) long and pilose.        -   Calyx.—Bilabiate, about 6-7 mm long, the upper lip with 3 or            4 nearly equal teeth and the lower entire, acuminate, and            pilose. Color: greenish-yellow (gY 5/6).        -   Calyx tube length.—20-23 mm.        -   Calyx tube diameter.—1 mm.        -   Calyx tube angle.—Curved and 45 degree from vertical leaf            axil.-   Reproductive organs at anthesis:    -   -   Stamen.—Quantity: 8 functional — four double loculed, four            globose and two sterile filaments. Dimensions: Stamenal            tube: 3.2 mm. Color: yellowish red-Yellow (YR-Y 8/4 to            7/10).        -   Anther.—Shape: 4 types: globose; biloculate oblong,            uniloculate oblong and sterile filaments; Dimensions: oblong            anthers: 0.9 mm×0.3 mm; globose anthers: 0.3×0.3 mm. Color:            yellowish red-Yellow (YR-Y 8/4 to 7/10).        -   Pollen.—Amount: Matures 6-8 hours before anthesis;            approximately 300 pollen grains per plant. Color: yellowish            red-Yellow (YR-Y 8/4 to 7/10).        -   Pistil.—Quantity: One per flower. Shape: Tubular; two sharp            bends through the base of the standard/keel continuing down            the center of the hollow hypanthium tube to the ovules in            the leaf axil on the gynoecium ending with ovary at base.            Dimensions: 7-10 cm (3-4 inches). Color: reddish-Yellow (rY            8/4 to 8/6).        -   Stigma.—Shape: feather or club-like with stiff, ascending            hairs on the style below the stigma and facing the standard.            Dimensions: 0.3 mm. Color: reddish-Yellow (rY 8/4 to 8/6).        -   Style (hypanthium).—Shape: tubular, filiform and elliptical            in cross section; Dimensions: 7-10 cm (3-4 inches). Color:            reddish-Yellow (rY 8/4 to 8/6).        -   Ovary.—Monocarpellate ovary is sessile and apparently            terminal. Shape: Globose, 1 mm or less in length. Color:            reddish-Yellow (rY 8/4 to 8/6).-   Seed: Seed production is very rare in Arachis glabrata and has not    yet been observed in ‘St. Augustine's White’ by the inventor.-   Disease and pest resistance: Low susceptibility to insect attack.-   Other: High drought tolerance and low frost tolerance. Not tolerant    to permanently wet sites but can generally withstand submergence for    up to two weeks.

1. A new and distinct variety of Arachis glabrata plant named ‘St.Augustine's White’ substantially as shown and described.